


In the Old Neighborhood (Found a Home)

by CycloneRachel



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Forehead Kisses, Forgiveness, Friendship, Gen, Heart-to-Heart, Light Angst, M/M, One Shot, Originally Posted on Tumblr, Reunions, Shippy Gen, references to seasons 3 and 4, set mid-season 5
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-01
Updated: 2019-08-01
Packaged: 2020-07-28 08:50:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20061298
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CycloneRachel/pseuds/CycloneRachel
Summary: prompt from Tumblr user peskyshortcake: "Imagine Brainy living in Winn's apartment while he's gone, and Winn coming back and seeing what Brainy did to his place."





	In the Old Neighborhood (Found a Home)

**Author's Note:**

> so how long has it been since I've posted anything involving Winndox?
> 
> anyway, this was originally 500 words, but obviously that didn't last. oops.

Winn was picturing cobwebs.

Honestly, he expected nobody to touch his place at all- after all, nobody had a reason to. Nobody would care that he was gone, outside of his friends, and half of them didn’t even know where he lived other than the DEO quarters. He’d thought that there would be mold in the bathroom, his dishes from almost 2 years ago still in the sink, his dirty laundry still sitting in front of his washing machine, and his bed just as unmade as it always was. And probably dust, and roaches, and rats… anything to show he’d abandoned his home and nature had taken over.

Not to mention the unpaid bills.

Hell, he wasn’t even sure he’d have an apartment to begin with, given that again, he had to leave for so long. He was convinced that when he got to his building, his keys wouldn’t work, and the landlord would helpfully inform him that he’d been evicted because he couldn’t tell them he was fighting an evil AI a thousand years in the future, and saving billions of lives while trying to cure a plague that threatened multiple worlds. He’d have to go back to the DEO with its windowless rooms and try to make himself comfortable there, while he tried to figure his life situation out, being a real adult and not acting like the sci-fi hero he’d masqueraded as.

But his apartment wasn’t dusty, or dirty in any way, when he arrived. Rather, it was shining- every surface clean, all of his books and movies and video games and CDs organized on the shelves, his action figures (_not toys, never, ever, ever toys_) arranged tastefully behind glass, his posters straightened out, his computer and television still there and running at that very moment. And if he looked into his bedroom, he was sure his closet had been organized too, and his bed would be made, his bathroom equally pristine…

It was like he had never left.

Or like someone was taking care of the place in his absence, which he found even more absurd. Who would’ve even cared?

He had a suspicion, of course, confirmed by the person who was indeed sitting on his couch, watching his TV. And maybe, a year and seven months ago, he might’ve been mad.

But now…

“Hey, Brainy?” Winn said.

“Winslow!”

Brainy almost jumped off the couch, smiling at him, and soon Winn found himself being hugged again, once more by a Brainy with his image inducer turned off- although this time it felt much more natural. Brainy's arms wrapped around him, his long hair tickled Winn's cheek as he held him close, and Winn held Brainy just as tightly. As awkward as their last hug had been (a metaphor for their whole relationship, really) Winn was pleased to see him again, and even to hug him, as he looked forward to catching up on everything he'd missed here with him before saying goodbye to Brainy for good.

(though, part of him still wondered: would it be so bad for Brainy to stay longer? Would he hate it, if Brainy didn't leave?

Would he miss Brainy when he was gone, back through the disruption and to his home, now refreshingly Brainiac-free? (though gaining the good Brainiac they'd lost for almost 2 years)

Would Brainy miss him, when he left?)

“I’m glad you’re safe.” Brainy said. “I was worried…”

“Yeah, I bet.” Winn answered. He gently pushed Brainy away, still taking in just how perfect his apartment looked. Like he didn’t even have the right to be in there, as it didn’t look like his anymore. “And it’s nice to see you too, buddy. So, why were you living here, and what have you done with my place?”

Brainy looked down, fiddling with his Legion ring.

“Well, it is a long story…”

~

"So, you were staying in my room at the DEO."

"Only for one night." Querl insisted, as the two of them now sat side-by-side on Winn's couch. "And only because Alex told me it was the sole bedroom that was prepared for someone to sleep in."

Winn snorted, though any laughter he might've had died in his throat when he saw the downcast look Brainy was giving him. "Sorry. I mean, no kidding it was prepared for someone else, I'd just left."

"Yes, exactly- which was why I felt uncomfortable staying there."

"Really?"

"I did." Brainy confirmed. "Do you not believe me?"

_No, I just thought it would fit your aesthetic_, Winn thought.

"No... but why'd you feel that way?"

Brainy looked him in the eyes.

"Honestly, because of you." he said. "Because I remembered what it felt like to be a newcomer in a place where you were so at home, and had the natural advantage in terms of understanding technology and retaining connections with other people. Yet when I "barged in" on your territory, and tried to help you- more importantly, help Supergirl and her team when they were all in danger- I did not respect that, and you rightfully showed me that I should've been more considerate."

"Oh."

_Right. The whole Fort Rozz incident. How could I have forgotten?_

"See, I understand how you felt back then, too." Winn answered, daring to reach forward and place a hand on his shoulder. "I mean, once I got to the future, and saw how many responsibilities you really had, I got it. The Legion didn't expect me to do all of them, but... I should've seen that people rely on you, in your time. Just like they rely on Supergirl in this one."

"Do not sell yourself short, Winslow." Brainy said. "Though you may operate from the sidelines, and nobody is allowed to know who you are, you still do incredible work in this time, providing assistance to not only Kara but also Alex, J'onn, James, Lena... all of whom, I can tell you firsthand, missed you greatly during your time away."

"No kidding."

"You can ask them yourself." Brainy answered. "In fact, when I tried to wear your clothes-"

Winn leaned forward, pushing Brainy back onto the couch and taking his hand off of his shoulder.

"You what now?"

"I will tell you later. The point is, Alex and I had difficulties communicating, during the first few months of my work at the DEO- and that can be attributed to your absence. She stated that she was not good with change, and that she and I had not found our rhythm... and that she missed you, so much that she didn't consider my wellbeing during that time."

"Oh." 

"Yes. And on that night, like many others, I sat in your room- after a futile attempt to be more like you in order to get her to like me, I might add- and came to the conclusion that I felt like an intruder. Not only in your own bedroom, but to this entire century and millennium, and my wearing your clothing only punctuated such a fact."

"Well, guess what, I got enough pointed stares and new insulting nicknames for "human" muttered in my direction to tell you that I felt like I was intruding in your century too."

"I apologize for that." Brainy said.

"And you thought that the cure for feeling like an intruder was... to take over my apartment, and live in it until I came back?"

Brainy rolled his eyes.

"No." he said. "That was not the cure- and in fact, it was not even my idea, to live in your place of residence."

"It wasn't?"

"Like when I was first assigned to a room at the DEO, Alex suggested that I visit your apartment- something that I also neglected to do during my attempt to do things your way. An unfortunate oversight, truly, but one that was ultimately beneficial, as once I took her suggestion and saw this place..."

Winn cut him off, groaning.

"Oh, God, please don't tell me that you went through my stuff."

"I refrained from looking at anything too personal." Brainy said. "Do not worry. However, I did learn about your father- not from anything in your apartment, only from taking a further look into the DEO's files."

Winn leaned forward, even as Brainy averted his eyes.

"Oh, you did."

Brainy moved back, just a bit, as he continued.

"Yes. And I wish to say that I regret I wasn't present when he died- as I noticed that date overlapped with my first stay in this century. I should've helped-"

_Especially because of my own family's situation._

"It's okay." Winn dismissed. "You and Imra were off on some important mission, trying to find Worldkillers. My family drama didn't really matter compared to that."

Brainy sighed again, moving closer and this time putting a hand on Winn's shoulder.

"No, it did." he said. "And you deserved to work through your family situation with your mother- you deserved to have closure, and finally make peace with your past."

Winn blinked.

"I- yeah, I deserved that." he answered. Querl thought he didn't sound like he believed it, but as he continued to speak, his voice grew more confident. "And yeah, I did. Because of that- the only good thing my dad did- I moved forward, and... god, I moved _really_ far forward, didn't I?"

Brainy nodded.

"Indeed you did." he said, holding his hands. "And I, for one, am glad you did."

"So you could go through my stuff."

"Right, I did not complete my explanation." Brainy said. "When I was in your apartment, for the first time, I felt a sense of responsibility to you. Although you were not there, I still wanted to do right by you, and make sure your home was treated with respect. I... I suppose I hoped that it would make up for not respecting you while we first interacted, though I acknowledge I did not deserve forgiveness for what I'd done."

"No, dude, you did." Winn said. "Like I said, I understand how much stress you're always under, and trust me when I say that I've been there. We were both just not having a great day, and I guess it's past time for us both to move on from that, huh?"

"It truly is."

"Good." Winn answered. "Because with that finally aside, I gotta say... I really like you, Querl Dox. It took me this long to realize it, but I'm glad you came into my life. And thanks, for taking care of my place."

"It was an honor, Winn Schott." Querl said. "And I feel the same."

Winn smiled at him, and he would've smiled back- though, just as he was going to, Winn suddenly leaned forward, holding his face in his hands and kissing his forehead before settling back into place, refusing to make eye contact. Querl smiled in return, though, and Winn matched it. They both looked at each other, satisfied, no words left to be said between them. This meeting, by Querl's calculations, could not have gone much better.

"...so, _what_ was that about you wearing my clothes?"

On second thought, perhaps he needed to go over those calculations again.

"Right. That..."


End file.
